“If all the insects were to disappear from the earth, within 50 years all life on Earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.”
As I stared into my soup cup, I started to think out about my passions. As Ken Robinson says, our society needs to redefine the way we view and reward education. High status jobs, such as becoming a professor, doctor or lawyer, are viewed as "accomplished" positions in society. But what about art and creativity? And in reference to the quote above by Robinson, what about activist who strive to improve the lives of people and the environment? Soon, I will be a college graduate from SMU, but then what? By status quickly fleets me according to those who define human achievement by through attached names, symbols and money.
I have to define my passions and list my interests:
- the environment (improving the ocean, wildlife and fixing environmental problems)
- human health/wellness (addressing wellness problems for improvement)
- psychological motivations and psychological health (addressing problems with consumerism)
- improving the lives of people
However, I also have interests in art....
- singing
- dancing
- painting
Though I have expressed my interests, which of these, if my life focused on status, will I be most likely to do? Well, we might as well scratch through the my art list because no one cares about art in the world of status- because artists make no money (with the exception of the incredibly talented, world renowned ones). Let's face it, I am not a good enough singer to have record, but I do enjoy singing in the shower on occasion. And as far as dancing goes, that ship has sailed as far as making a career of it.
Mind you, my attitude towards my success in the arts is rather pessimistic. Why is that? Why can't I make a record? Why can't I paint a picture and sell it for thousands? Why can't I dance and perform for a living?
We have been trained and raised in a society that discourages the arts for a career and encourages "serious positions" of "high status" like going to medical school or becoming a lawyer. I am not saying that becoming a lawyer or doctor is bad, but it is not for everyone. Our brains are uniquely wired to our person, we are not all constructed to become doctors and lawyers; so why do we only see these high end positions as a huge success?
The environment, human/public health and the psychology of motivations, I feel are important, very important. However, how do I make money off my passion while fulfilling my drive for having a purpose? I searched and searched to find these passions. I could not simply look within, I had to experience many different fields. I worked in sales, marketing, education, public relations, restaurants, medicine, non-profits and environmental advocacy.
I decided my major was not something I necessarily enjoyed, at least in the type of work I pursued in internships.
I may enjoy environmental communication.
I know I don't want my life to revolve around sales and making money.
I like the atmosphere of an educational institution, whether its a university or a high school, but it was the interaction with people that I loved, not necessarily the work.
I found that public relations can be used for both bad and good, but today, it is an industry that mostly concerns money and profitability; and I am not interested in that (However, it can be used for good).
I definitely love food, but I do not like the fast-paced, urgency in the restaurant business; that is customer service to the extreme and I know I would not enjoy working in that field everyday.
Medicine fascinates me, and I love that it is used to help people. I know I do not want to be a doctor because of the high stress and fast paced routines most doctors have. Dermatology would be interesting, but I could never be that specialized and specific to one field, as I have many interests.
I have thought of Physician Assistant school, that is still pending, but most likely will not happen.
I do enjoy working for non-profits. It combines my two main interests; purpose and people. However, I do not know what field I would work in if I did decide to work at a non-profit long term.
The environment means a lot to me, it is what sustains us. We are ruining the ground beneath our feet and everything that holds us. This universe is remarkable. It is a representation of God's talent and incredible capacity, yet we squander it. Once a flawless, pristine creation is not being polluted and discarded due to industrialization. As I referenced Dr. Robinson:
“If all the insects were to disappear from the earth, within 50 years all life on Earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.”
These are insects. One species on the planet. What if we cut down all the trees? Or allowed more species to become extinct? How will our ecosystem change? Killing off species orallowing them to die, is a detriment to our grandchildren and our grandchildren's grandchildren. But, we are human and money is the root of all evil. Man will continue to industrialize, man will become rich, man will live, man will die and leave a mess behind with his tracks.
I started this article concerning education and creativity. Some how through my writing, I discovered what I was passionate about. Passions will surface in your writing, when passions are present, so is your God given purpose.
I believe passion connects us all. The human race is a network of energy and we are all united by our unique talents and capabilities. Please, do not be distracted by industrialization and fast moving cars. Have you ever sat on your roof and looked at the stars? Try it. It is very quiet in that moment and you begin to experience this amazing feeling within your heart. You become calm and you will find yourself marveling at God's wonder. And you listen to the silence of the night, only it is not silent at all. You can hear crickets and blowing leaves on the trees. This noise reminds us that there is a life behind all living things. You can feel the wind on your face. I like to sometimes think that that wind came from an ocean a thousand miles away just so that the waves can let me know they are there rolling in for me.
This appreciation that you feel that this moment is the kind of appreciation we should feel for our home (Earth) and people. We should appreciate art and human talent. We should experience passion for what we love to do and achieve our purpose.
"People protect what they love."- J. Cousteau
-Rilee
